Submit to 2019 Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature

The OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature is a major award for literary books by Caribbean writers.

Books are judged in three categories: poetry; fiction — both novels and collections of short stories; and literary non-fiction .

The author of the book judged overall winner will receive an award of US$10,000. The other category winners will receive cash awards of US$3,000.

To be eligible for entry for the 2019 prize, a book must:

Have been first published in the calendar year 2018 (1 January to 31 December);
Have been written by a single author who either holds Caribbean citizenship or was born in the Caribbean (this must be verified by the publisher), regardless of current place of residence;
Have been written by an author who is living on 31 December, 2018;
Have been written and first published in English originally (i.e. translations are not eligible);
Be a new work, previously unpublished in book form (though collections including poems, stories, essays, or other short pieces that have individually appeared in print in periodicals or anthologies are eligible).

Books published before 31 October, 2018, must be delivered to the Bocas Lit Fest (or judges, where applicable) by 14 November, 2018. ONLY books published between 31 October and 31 December, 2018, will be accepted for entry by the second deadline, 9 January, 2019. Eligible books that arrive after each deadline date will not be considered.

About the OCM Bocas Prize

This is a major award for literary books by Caribbean writers. Books are judged in three categories: poetry; fiction — both novels and collections of short stories; and literary non-fiction — including books of essays, biography and autobiography, history, current affairs, travel, and other genres, which demonstrate literary qualities and use literary techniques, regardless of subject matter. (Note: textbooks, technical books, coffee-table books, specialist publications and reference works are not eligible.)

There is a panel of three judges for each category, who determine category shortlists and winners. The three category winners are then judged by a panel of four judges — consisting of the chairs of the category panels and the prize chair — who will determine the overall winner.

The author of the book judged overall winner will receive an award of US$10,000. The other category winners will receive cash awards of US$3,00

2018 OCM Bocas Prize winner

Curfew Chronicles, a collection of linked short stories by writer Jennifer Rahim of Trinidad and Tobago, has been named the winner of the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature.